Ironing tables, school desks and the like



IRONING TABLES, SCHOOL DESKS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1955 Dec. 24, 1957 J. H. SKELTON ET AL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. H. SKELTON ET AL 2,817,170

IRONING TABLES, SCHOOL DESKS AND THE LIKE Fiied Dec. 9, 1955- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 At arneys United States Patent f IRONING TABLES, SCHOOL DESKS AND THE LIKE John Henry Skelton, Chigwell Row, and Frederick James Austin, East Ham, London, England Application December 9, 1955, Serial No. 552,199

Claims priority, application Great Britain January 7, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 38-104) This invention relates to ironing tables, more especially for domestic use, or school desks or the like and aims at providing a foldable ironing table, desk or the like more convenient and easier to use than those heretofore known.

The invention consists in a combined ironing-table school desk or the like and a seat comprising two frame members pivoted together for relative movement between a substantially co-planar closed position, and a mutually inclined open position, each frame member having a longer and a shorter upstanding limb, the longer limb of the two frames forming supports for an ironing board, or writing surface or the like, and the shorter limb of the two frames forming supports for a seat.

The invention will be clearlyunderstood from the following description of one form (given, however, merely by way of example) which it may assume, and this description will be more readily followed by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 represents in perspective an ironing table according to the invention erected in readiness for use; and

Figure 2 represents a rear or underside perspective view of the same ironing table when collapsed and out of use.

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner, as shown in the drawings herewith, a foldable ironing table comprises two substantially frame members pivoted together by their parallel limbs. In each frame member one limb is considerably shorter than the other parallel limb, and the free end of each limb has an extension projecting inwards i. e. towards the other limb to form a support, as will appear hereinafter.

Conveniently, as illustrated, these frame members are formed of metal tube, and may comprise parallel tubular limbs 1, 2 or 3, 4 with a cross-piece 5 or 6 extending between their bottom ends. The limbs 1 and 3 are substantially longer than the limbs 2 and 4, and the two frame members are pivoted together by pivot bolts 7, 8, equidistant from the base cross bars 5, 6. Since each frame member comprises a base element or cross-piece, 5 or 6,

with a shorter limb 2 or 4 upstanding from one end, and a longer limb, 1 or 3, somewhat upstanding from the other end, it has somewhat the appearance of the letter J, and will herein be referred to as a J-shaped frame member.

At their upper ends the limbs l, 2, 3 and 4 have each an inwardly projecting portion 9, 10, 11 and 12 (Figure 2) respectively. The projections 9 and 11 of the longer limbs 1 and 3 serve as supports for the ironing board, while the projections 10, 12 of the shorter limbs 2, 4 serve to support a seat.

The extension 9 engages in a cylindrical sleeve 13 forming part of a plate 14 secured e. g. by screws, beneath the ironing board. Spaced from the plate 14 is another plate 15 likewise secured beneath the board having a curved strip-spring clip 16. It will be seen that as the limbs 1 and 3 are opened about their pivot 7 from the closed position shown in Figure 2 the projection 11 rides along the undersurface of the ironing board until it engages the clip 16 and is firmly held thereby. In similar manner the projection 10 of limb 2 is fitted into a cylindrical sleeve 17 rigid with a plate 18 secured, e. g. by screws, beneath a seat. This plate 18 has rigidly secured thereto a metal loop 19 extending from the sleeve 17 to the opposite end of the plate 18 and encircling the extension 12 of limb 4. As limbs 2 and 4 are opened about their pivot 8 from the closed position shown in Figure 2 the extension 12 rides along loop 19 to the end remote from sleeve 17, where it is stopped and retained by the loop 19. It will be noted that limbs 1 and 2 with their cross bar 5 move. together in relation to the limbs 3 and 4 with cross-bar 6, and that the ironing board and seat are simultaneously erected on their supports 9, 11 and 10, 12 respectively when the two frames are pivotally opened out. The structure then assume the position for use shown in Figure 1.

The seat may comprise a rigid base 20 of wood or metal covered with leather 21 or upholstered, and fitted with padding and/or springs, as desired. The ironing board may be formed of conventional narrow rectangular shape,

The wall of the surround 24 adjoining the ironing surface of the board may on its inner side be formed with an inclined ramp to facilitate sliding of the iron from the well on to the ironing surface.

The cross bars 5 and 6 extend beyond the limb, 1, 2 and 3, 4 which they connect together, and at their outer ends are fitted with rubber or like resilient buffers 26 which give a firm grip on a floor or the like on which the ironing board stands, and also safe-guard against damage or scratching of other furniture etc. when the ironing board is being moved about, either open or closed. The. limbs 3 and 4 may be slightly curved away from limbs 1, 2 near their cross-bar 6, as at 27, in order that when the frames are pivotally closed together the limbs 1, 2, 3 and 4 are co-planar, and the whole structure becomes substantially flat (Figure 2).

A combined ironing board and seat, as described above may be formed with the well, 24, 25 at the right-hand or left-hand end of the ironing surface, as desired, to suit a right-handed or left-handed user.

The frames shown in the form of the invention illustrated and described above are formed of substantially straight lengths of steel tubing welded together at their ends, but they may be formed in any other manner and from any other suitable material.

The ironing table instead of being formed of a rigid flat base 22 of wood or metal, may be formed of a frame work of tubular metal in which is welded a supporting surface of perforated or expanding metal, with, if desired, a felt or other padded surface fitted with a fabric cover. Similarly the seat may be formed of a rectangular metal tubular frame with perforated or other metal secured therein rigidly, or by springs, and with or without padding and covering as desired.

If desired a number of clips 16 at spaced positions longitudinally of the board 22 may be provided, and a similar number of ratchet like teeth provided on the seat base 20 between the ends of the loop 19. By engaging projection 11 in any selected clip 16, and the projection 12 in the corresponding ratchet tooth the extent of opening of the frames (and thus the height of the ironing board and seat) can be selected or adjusted.

The tubular sections of the framework are preferably selectedof such strength that-they will support the board and seat without strengthening, but if desired (and especially of tubes smaller gauge are employed for the sections illustrated in the drawings) strengthening struts may be fitted, e. g. as triangulated connections between sections 11 and 3, 13 and 1, and 2, 12 and 4,-and/or between the limbs 1, 2,3, 4 and the cross bars Sand 6.

While as described above the features of the invention are embodied in an ironing table, the supported surface, e. g. the ironing board may be adpated and/or modified for other uses and purposes. In particular the invention may be applied to the provision of a foldable school desk, and in this case the ironing board 22, 23 is-replaced by'a flat table surface, e. g.of wood, suitable for writing and similar school uses. If desired the table element replacing the ironing'board '22, 23 may be in the form of a box-like frame in which is fitted 'a slidable drawer. In either case the plates 14, 1S .and'the frame numbers 1, 3 are attached to, or associated with, the under flat surface of the attached component i. e. the undersurface of a flat table element, or the undersurface of a box-like structure housing a drawer (the upper surface of this structure serving for writing and the like). Desks of this kind occupy little storage space when collapsed, and can easily be manipulated, to open or close, by the children using them.

From the above description it will be seen that the invention provides a combined ironing board, desk or the like and a seat of great convenience, simple to construct and use, and compact when closed for storage. It should, however, be understood that the invention is not restricted solely to the details of the forms described above, which may be modified, in order to meet various conditions and requirements encountered, without departing from the scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A combination working surface and seat comprising two tubular metal frame members, each frame member being formed with a transverse base member, a longer limb upstanding from one end of said base member, a shorter limb upstanding from the other end of said base member, an inwardly-projecting L-shaped portion at the top of said longer limb and an inwardly-projecting L-shaped portion at the top of said shorter limb, said two frame members being pivotally connected together at points respectively intermediate of the ends of their longer limbs, and intermediate of the ends of their shorter limbs, a working surface pivotally attached by its undersurface to the said L-shaped portion at the top of the longer limb of one of said frames and having means on its undersurface for detachable engagement with the said L-shaped portion at the top of the longer limb of the other of said frames when said frames are mutually inclined as the .result of relative opening about their said pivots, and a seat pivotally attached by its undersurface' to the said L-shaped portion at the top of the shorter limb of one of said frames and having means on its undersurface for detachable engagement with the said L-shaped portion at the top of the shorter limb of the other of said frames when said frames are mutually inclined as the result of relative opening about their said pivots.

2. A combination working surface and seat according to claim 1 wherein the working surface and seat are pivotally attached to L-shaped portions respectively of the longer and shorter limb of the same frame.

3. A combination working surface and seat according to claim 1 wherein the lower ends of both limbs of one of said frames are slightly bent in an outward direction away from the other frame to allow the two frames to fold together in substantially coplanar positions.

4. A combination working surface and seat according to claim 1 comprising resilient buffer fitments at the ends of said transverse base members of said frames.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 628,712 Hoshour July 11, 1899 986,912 Durfee Mar. 14, 1911 1,976,031 Lowenberg Oct. 9, 1934 2,625,206 Abbate et al. Jan. 13, 1953 2,661,049 Scbel Dec. 1, 1953 2,663,102 Olander Dec. 22, 1953 2,717,631 Howe Sept. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 609,773 Great Britain Oct. 6, 1948 

